Hello Blurry Reader!
Once again, I didn’t want to cut it where I did. However, there are still 100+ pages of aftermath and there just wasn’t room for them here. I hope you liked this edition of Life After War. The next book takes us toward Arkansas, where Adrian’s personal mystery begins to unravel.
Did you know you can leave me a comment on Facebook? I honestly read them! I love hearing from readers. You ladies and gentlemen are to me, what the Eagles are to Adrian–Everything.
And by the way, thanks. About half way through this book, I was nervous. The story wasn’t flowing right, the ending was in choppy segments, and the bad reviews on book one’s editing were dragging me into the fiery depths of hell. By page 800, I was overwhelmed, wondering how I’d get it all in ‘book’ form. At the point that I pasted the ending into the file, I had 185,000 words, 990 pages, and Writer’s Shake.
Let me tell you a little about the Shakes. It’s not an official illness, but it should be. It’s when you stare at the words without a clue as to how to wrangle them into submission. You’re exhausted, more drained than even after the best orgasm of your life, and yet, there’s this whole other mountain to climb. But it’s a labor of love and you struggle to your feet, swaying, reaching out for support from the one source that’s kept you going so far–your readers.
They respond with a kindness you never really thought would happen, shoving your dreams into vivid clarity. They love your work! They’ve fallen into a passionate affair with your world and they yearn for more. They email you and leave wonderful comments on your website. They tell people about you, send pictures of themselves wearing Safe Haven dog tags, and in the midst of your dreams coming true, you realize that you’re shaking.
Why? Because you still haven’t managed to climb that other mountain and all those delightful people are now waiting…and waiting…and waiting. The longer it takes to get to the top, the harder you shake. By the summit, your gut is one big Prevacid and no one in your household will even walk by the door where you’re working for fear of being decapitated. The pizza delivery boy knows your card # by heart and all you can think about is how nice it was to be asleep a lifetime ago.
The Shakes are unpleasant. Non-writers often assume authors spend a few hours a day writing and the rest goofing off. It’s only that cushy when your last name is infamous and I am nowhere near that. This stress is one small downside of my new life, never worked harder on anything, never been more proud. That driving force, those shakes, pushed me into a place where I can stand in safety, knowing the final result is one I’m honored to share.
Adrian’s Eagles was finished for me, on All Fool’s Day, 2012. I heard the door shut when Cynthia pulled that trigger and I shut it gently, but I didn’t bother with the lock. We’ll be returning to Safe Haven and its magic…only next time, I’ll have the memory of this feeling to lean on when I shake.
I love you guys, I hope you know that. If the world really does end, we’ll start our own Haven! Lol. Thank you for your purchase, and for gifting me with your time.
It’s been my honor,
Angie
On a more personal note, I would also like to thank the great people who beta-read for me, hosted me on their sites and blogs, and offered their services to me. It was an honor to work with those Eagles.